The Good Shepherd

Summer camp was amazing! The kids were active and attentive, loud and listening, giggling and growing, energetic and exhausted… everything you could want to see in a healthy child. What a blessing it was to have some concentrated time with them. Precious memories!

Our theme was the Australian Walkabout… journeying toward the path of the Good Shepherd and we learned from Psalm 23. Six simple verses that can change the trajectory of your life.

“The Lord is my shepherd. He gives me everything I need…”  He doesn’t withhold the good things because if I am truly following, he will lead me to a place where I can rest and feast on what will sustain my life…. “He lets me rest in fields of green grass.” And He doesn’t lead me toward the danger of over-extending myself…  of temptation… of confusion. If I am walking toward these things, I have obviously taken a detour from his path,  because… “He leads me beside QUIET waters.”

“He gives me new strength…” Not to DO more, but to BE more… and that can only happen if … “He guides me in the right paths for the honor of his name…” So we must say “NO!” to temptation to do or say anything that will bring shame to the word Christian because if we don’t reflect His goodness and love, how can we hope to cause the world to long for a relationship with Him?

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,” and that valley looks different to each one of us… “I will not be afraid.” Because I know that … “You are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff comfort me.” I must not wander toward the enemy of my soul. You will fight for me and rescue me because you created me to be with you forever. I need to understand that your “NO” is for my good, as is your “YES” because You see the blessings and the dangers lurking on the path ahead of me and it doesn’t scare you a bit because you know that I will be safe as long as I allow you to be in control. Then, in spite of the way the situation looks to me, I am safe with you as… “You prepare a feast for me right in front of my enemies. You pour oil on my head….” Like a miraculous bug spray that actually keeps those nasty camp mosquitos at bay, you protect me from pesky thoughts that cause my words and attitudes to swell, distract and irritate. I know that my life is blessed and I have so much more than I need because, if I will only look I can see that… “My cup runs over. I am sure that your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. And I will live in the house of the Lord forever...”  Just as you planned from the day you envisioned who I would become so that I could fulfill the plan that You made for me.

Keeping those lessons alive in my heart as I proceed through a valley that I had not anticipated. I came home from camp to discover that my husband of 39 years is in need of quadruple bypass surgery. Maybe the lessons I prepared for the kids at camp was really for me, because my heart is at peace, knowing that the Good Shepherd is in control and is guiding our lives down the right path to bring honor to His name. It’s not about me. It’s not about Dana. It’s about Jesus, and may He be honored in all that happens in the valley and on the other side of it.